Method for making photovoltaic devices using oxygenated semiconductor thin film layers
AssigneesFirst Solar, Inc., Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
InventorsJames Neil Johnson, David Scott Albin, Scott Feldman-Peabody, Mark Jeffrey Pavol, Robert Dwayne Gossman
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Abstract
A method for making a photovoltaic device is presented. The method includes steps of disposing a window layer on a substrate and disposing an absorber layer on the window layer. Disposing the window layer, the absorber layer, or both layers includes introducing a source material into a deposition zone, wherein the source material comprises oxygen and a constituent of the window layer, of the absorber layer or of both layers. The method further includes step of depositing a film that comprises the constituent and oxygen.
Claims21
A method for making a photovoltaic device, comprising:
- disposing a window layer over a substrate;
- disposing an absorber layer over the window layer;
- wherein disposing the window layer, disposing the absorber layer, or disposing the window layer and the absorber layer, comprises:
- oxidizing a source material precursor to form a source material;
- then
- introducing the source material into a deposition zone, and
- thereafter, depositing a film comprising a constituent of the source material and oxygen.
A method for making a photovoltaic device, comprising:
- disposing a window layer over a substrate;
- disposing an absorber layer over the window layer;
- wherein disposing the absorber layer, comprises:
- oxidizing a source material precursor that comprises cadmium and tellurium to form a source material comprising a mixture of cadmium, tellurium and oxygen as at least one of an alloy and a compound;
- then
- introducing the source material into a deposition zone;
- and
- thereafter, depositing a film comprising cadmium telluride and oxygen.
A method for making a photovoltaic device, comprising:
- disposing a window layer over a substrate;
- disposing an absorber layer over the window layer;
- wherein disposing the window layer, disposing the absorber layer, or disposing the window layer and disposing the absorber layer, comprises:
- introducing a source material into a deposition zone, wherein the source material comprises oxygen and a constituent element as a mixture of elements in at least one of an alloy and a compound of oxygen and the constituent element;
- the constituent element being a constituent of the window layer, of the absorber layer, or of the window layer and the absorber layer;
- and
- depositing a film comprising the constituent element and oxygen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.